I didn't know this was a Tommy Wirkola movie. The Dead Snow movies were okay. Decent effort there, but nothing groundbreaking. This one here, VIOLENT NIGHT, instantly seems comparable to Fat Man (2020) with Mel Gibson, another recent effort to depict Santa as a bad-ass version capable of kicking some ass.

The description likens it to Die Hard and Home Alone, which is partially accurate. I feel Home Alone has plenty of leisure before the conflict, but our movie VN doesn't linger about too long. The Die Hard thing is much more fitting.

David Harbour does a terrific job as St. Nick. I think the guy is good in anything, though. His backstory is also hilariously dark for a Santa Claus, which is why he plays it as a bitter drunk, disillusioned with the holiday because people as a society are awful. I like the fights for the choreography, but also because he gets his ass kicked in a lot of these fights, which is always better than watching some invincible The Rock type character.

The villain plot is pretty weak, but John Leguizamo does his best for such a cutout role. The villains are all pricks, begging for a cruel demise, and they'll get one. The family isn't much better, but mostly assholes for comic relief. You're supposed to root for Santa and the little girl who relies on him, and you do. Through her, you get the Home Alone homage, which features some good 'n gross acts of violence.

It's not the greatest, but it is pretty fun. I think I like Fat Man a bit more though.